Untitled Document (shounen ai)

The Only Chapter

“Yuuya, you aren’t seriously going to leave, are you?” My sister looked up at me, tears in her eyes. I smiled at her gently.

    “Yes. There are many mysteries to be unlocked in our world, and there are still many to discover.” My sister smiled sadly at this.

    “I just worry… You’re always putting yourself in danger…” She kissed my cheek, and I began to walk away, starting my journey. As soon as I crossed the first ridge, I wiped my face vigorously, getting rid of any trace my sister’s disgusting slobber had left. There was an old saying in my land that kisses were numbered, so save them for people you actually love.

    The reason she didn’t want me to leave is because I paid her alcohol bills, stupid self-absorbed jerk. My good-for-nothing sister didn’t give a cow’s arse if I was in danger as long as brought her money to quench her alcohol addiction.

    The journey took longer than expected. To get to the glass realm, one had to either take a boat to enter on the south side, or walk to get in by the north side. I had chosen the latter, therefore I had to go through two valleys and several rivers to get there, adding up to a month and a half of travel. I had barely any money, so getting scraps one way or another was how food was obtained. I slept in old barns and bathed in the rivers, maybe catching some fish if I felt motivated enough to clean it.

    All I had brought was a change of clothes, a waterskin, a handkerchief to hold food, a ball of red string, my glasses, and basic first aid supplies in my knapsack. Oh, and I also brought my sword. I was rather proud of that gleaming weapon with the mother of pearl handle. I had saved up and bought it with my own money when I was just a small child living amongst the rolling hills. Back then, I dragged the heavy thing behind me as I searched for treasure and mystical beings. I never found any in those hills; only when I was an adult travelling to distant lands did I ever encounter riches or the supernatural.

    Anyway, I was very close to the glass realm. Even ten miles away, there wasn’t a sound to be heard in the forest. It was as if the animals knew not to come close. Among the people of surrounding cities, the glass realm was taboo. You didn’t speak about it. And, for the most part, you didn’t think about it. But I had a thirst that was similar to my sister’s thirst for liquor. It was my desire to find out what had actually happened to that land.  

    I exited the woods and found myself on top of a slope. Looking down, I saw the glass city in the distance, the sun shining blindingly off the glittering buildings. In between was a large expanse of It was green and yellow about a quarter of the way of the fields, and then abruptly turned to clear. I regretted not wearing shoes as I looked at the spiky glass plants.

    I slid down the hill and began my long trek across the plains. To my relief, I found a path that went all the way through the fields. In the part that wasn’t turned to glass, the fields were overgrown with weeds and very tall grass. In the immobilized glass section of the plains, the fields were carefully tilled with fruitful harvests; pumpkins and corn and wheat.

    When I reached the section where the glass started, it was as if time stopped for everything except for me. I warily kept walking, ignoring the lone cottages amongst the frozen plants, the crops not waving in the wind. At one point I got on my knees on the bumpy pathway and looked down through the clear glass. Underneath it, I could see worms and grubs, all turned to glass. The dirt, the roots of the plants, the birds pecking for bugs; they were all made of the same substance.